"Bells and Whistles"

In Brief

• Parthenon Marble Pieces Staying in Denmark

  On November 22nd, the Danish National Museum announced its decision to retain three Parthenon Marble pieces in its collection, consisting  of marble heads and a marble hoof. The marble heads were bought by a marine officer in the streets of Athens in 1688, while the hoof was acquired by the then-Danish counsel in Greece during the havoc of the Greek War for Independence. The museum’s reason for retaining  the marble pieces was that “they now hold greater value for Danmark [sic] than for Greece…The three fragments are of great importance for Danish cultural history and for understanding our interaction with the world around us at a time when democracy was growing and taking shape,” says Christian Sune Pedersen, Head of the Research Department at the National Museum of Denmark. Read more here (in German)   (RW)

• Virginia Museum of Fine Arts to Repatriate 44 Artifacts to Egypt, Italy, and Turkey

  The Virginia Museum of Fine Arts (VMFA) has deaccessioned and returned 44 works of ancient art, following an investigation by the Manhattan DA’s Office and US Department of Homeland Security. The museum announced details of the investigation and its outcome on December 5, detailing the institution’s cooperation throughout a six-month investigation. The Manhattan DA’s investigation began in May with a request for documentation for 28 objects in the VMFA’s collection, but the scope of investigation expanded to 61 objects after a plethora of photographs, catalogs, provenance research, and correspondence surfaced. After months of research, Manhattan DA’s Office and Homeland Security special agent Robert Mancene proved that 44 of the 61 artworks investigated were either stolen, looted, or trafficked. Alex Nyerges, the VMFA’s director and chief executive, promised in a statement that the museum would repatriate any unlawfully acquired artifacts. Read more here.  (RW) 

• Parthenon Talks Crumble as UK PM Cancels at the Last-Minut

  UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak canceled Parthenon marbles talks with Greece just a day before they were scheduled to begin. The two countries have been in communication for the past two years over the marbles brought to England from Greece by Lord Elgin in the early 1800s. The decision to pull out of the meeting was apparently made after Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis appeared on the BBC calling for the full return of the marbles to Greece. Mitsotakis compared the division of the marbles between the two countries to cutting the Mona Lisa in half. Greece’s position is consistent: they want all of the marbles to be returned to Greece on a long-term basis. The British Museum has stated they would be willing to part with portions of the frieze, but only for a short term loan. Read more here. (AME)

• From Kitchen to Canvas: The Enchanting Journey of “The Mocking of Christ”at the Louvre

  In a story that could delight even the Scrooges of the world, the iconic yet petite painting by Cimabue a.k.a Cenni di Pepo is now on display in its new home at the Louvre. The painting entitled “The Mocking of Christ” was purchased by the French government for about  24.2 million euros ($26.8 million) after finding it in the kitchen of an elderly woman back in 2019. The painting will now join its much larger companion the “Maestà” and the two will be a part of an exhibit on display in Spring 2025. Read more here. (SNA)

• Buffalo Museum Workers Want to Unionize

  On November 16, 2022, the Buffalo AKG museum workers submitted a letter to the museum director and board directors announcing their desire to unionize.The museum formerly known as the Albright-Knox Gallery, now Buffalo AKG, reopened this year after a four-year closure and expansion. A recent Instagram video features three individuals from the AKG Workers United Organizing Committee discussing the unionization effort at an all-staff meeting. The campaign is viewed positively, with organizers hoping for voluntary recognition of the union by AKG leadership. If successful, the union would represent 100+ workers across various departments, though specific positions are yet to be finalized. The museum’s director of human resources expressed support for workers’ right to organize. The union’s campaign logo is inspired by Andy Warhol’s “100 Cans” (1962), a notable piece in the museum’s collection. Read more HERE. (LE)

• Digital Technologies May Help Resolve Restitution Questions

  Digital technologies such as AR, AI, NFTs, and 3D scanning may be used to help the repatriation of cultural artifacts. A project by the collective Looty executed a digital heist at the British Museum using Lidar technology in order to create a digital replica of the Rosetta Stone. The replica was then placed where the original was discovered, Rashid Egypt. An NFT was then created and associated with the digital replica to track provenance. The technology allows for digital repatriated artworks to be placed back in their original locations. While seen as groundbreaking by some, there are legal and ethical concerns. The location where the item is digitized is subject to the laws of that jurisdiction leading to repetition of the “colonial logic and systems that we’re trying to be [disentangled] from.” It also may be culturally insensitive to copy a work that a nation refuses to return to its country of origin. While the technology initiates discussions on restitution, a more collaborative and thoughtful approach is needed to address the complexity of replicating repatriated cultural artifacts. More HERE. (LE)

• An Artificial Victory: Can SAG-AFTRA Trust Studios to Behave When It Comes to AI?

  Although a tentative agreement with the AMPTP (Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers) has given many people hope of SAG-AFRTRA’s labor strike coming to an end, some actors remain concerned about the contract’s provisions dealing with the use of artificial intelligence. There continue to be disagreements over the degree to which movie studios should be allowed to digitally capture, own in perpetuity, and use the likeness of actors without oversight or restrictions. For instance, under the current agreement, studios can either use employment-based digital replicas, which are made using scans of the actual actors, or independently created digital replicas, which are created using archival footage to resemble real actors, such as with posthumous appearances. While some actors are satisfied with the current agreement and ready to work on and promote their projects again, some actors are still worried about how the use of AI will eliminate smaller roles, such as background characters, and want safeguards to be in place. Read more here. (PL)

• Forgotten Botticelli May be Returned

  A forgotten painting by Italian artist Sandro Botticelli, valued at around €100 million, has been discovered at a family home near Naples, Italy. The painting, based on Botticelli’s muse and lover, Simonetta Cattaneo Vespucci, was originally donated to a countryside church by Pope Sixtus IV as a tribute for economic support from the Medici family. The artwork, one of Botticelli’s last works, was originally displayed in a small church in Santa Maria la Arita and later given to a local family for safekeeping. The painting disappeared mysteriously, and was considered lost after a fruitless search by the Italian state. The carabinieri, Italian national police tasked with cultural heritage protection, recently found the painting during an inspection of the private residence. The 15th-century artwork depicts the Virgin Mary and Child, and due to damage, it is set for extensive restoration. The authorities will investigate ownership to determine if the family acquired it properly. If not, the artwork  may pass into state hands or be exhibited in a museum for security. Art enthusiasts hope the painting will find its place in a museum, where it can be viewed and enjoyed by the public. Read more HERE. (LE)

• Frankenthal’s Memory Is Under Threat from ... Her Own Family?

  Directors of the $1 billion foundation meant to promote Helen Frankenthal’s legacy appear to be doing disservice to the artist’s  name. Frederick Iseman, the artist’s nephew, has filed a lawsuit against other members of the foundation alleging that some directors of the foundation are engaging in unethical practices including “pay to play” transactions to boost their own artist careers. The lawsuit focuses on Iseman’s cousin, Cliffford Ross, who traded foundation grants for exhibitions of his own artwork to generate  publicity for his career. The lawsuit also claims that Iseman was removed from the board by other members who “secretly schemed” to get rid of him. More HERE.

• Four Men Charged in Theft of $6 Million Golden Toilet

  In 2019, a golden toilet was stolen from Blenheim Palace in Oxfordshire, the birthplace of Winston Churchill. In early November, four men were charged with burglary, conspiracy to transfer criminal property, and transfer of criminal property for the theft of the toilet. Worth $5.9 million, the conceptual art piece titled, “America” by Maurizio Cattelan was in Blenheim Palace as part of an exhibition of the artist’s work. The toilet is fully functioning and is 18-karat solid gold. Apparently, the early morning burglary caused a small flood when the toilet was removed from the pipes. Read more here. (AME)

• Decision on copyright infringement for AI generated art in the Beijing Internet Court

  The Beijing Internet Court recently rendered a first-instance judgment in a copyright infringement case revolving around AI-generated images, marking a milestone in the realm of AI-generated content disputes. Mr. Li, the plaintiff, utilized AI to create images showcased on the Xiaohongshu platform. The defendant, a blogger on the Baijiahao platform, incorporated these AI-generated pictures in an article without authorization, leading to Mr. Li’s legal action. The court determined that the AI-generated pictures demonstrated the requisite  “originality” and reflected a genuine intellectual investment, thereby qualifying them as works protected under copyright law. While this ruling may be limited to Chinese law and the applications of the Beijing Internet Court, this  ruling sets a precedent by acknowledging that  copyright protection may be afforded to  AI-generated images and establishes a significant legal framework for future cases in this evolving field. Decision is available here.

• French Court Considers Clearing Laundering Charges in Louvre Curator Investigation

  Jean-Francois Charnier, a curator indicted for laundering trafficked antiquities sold to the Louvre Abu Dhabi, may have charges dropped after a decision by France’s highest court of appeals. The Court of Cassation annulled a lower court’s ruling, citing errors in dismissing a key legal argument in Charnier’s defense, specifically questioning his police interrogation. The recent ruling focused on legal technicalities rather than evidence, suggesting Charnier’s interrogation may be discarded. While Charnier’s lawyer sees this as a positive development, the charges against former Louvre director Jean-Luc Martinez remain. Martinez is accused of complicity in organized trafficking and faces a trial. Despite claims of rigorous vetting, both curators assert they were victims of higher-level racketeers. The case involves over €50 million worth of antiquities with provenance documents later proven fake. Other dealers are also charged in connection to the case. Read more here.

• San Antonio Museum of Art Acquires TWO collections of Pre-Columbian antiquities

  Nearly 300 objects, 2/3rd from the John M. and Kathi Oppenheimer collection and 1/3rd from Lindsay and Lucy Duff, have been received by San Antonia Museum of Art. According to the Museum director, “These objects provide new insights into the skilled makers who produced them…” and according to the reports “objects were reviewed by the curatorial staff.”  Read more HERE.